Policeman in car racket, court told

A former policeman accused of using the Victorian police computer database to run a stolen car and parts racket was sent for trial yesterday.

Clive Alexander Munro, 46, is alleged to have accessed the private details of car owners and followed them, stealing their cars while they shopped.

The Melbourne Magistrates Court heard that on a number of days that cars were stolen, Munro was on leave or on rest days.

Munro, a former senior constable with 21 years' service who resigned after being suspended from duty, reserved his plea on nine charges each of theft of a motor car and handling stolen goods.

The court was told that police, led by Detective Sergeant Michael Frewen from the Ethical Standards Department, targeted Munro, then stationed at Hurstbridge, from May 2001 under Operation Marah.");document.write("

advertisement

");
}
}
// -->

Police, who suspected Munro of involvement in the theft of cars and their possible "re-birthing", examined his use of the Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) between January 1999 and March 2001. The computer database includes car registration and licence details and is a primary source for information on offenders, victims of crime, addresses and telephone numbers.

Operation Marah ended in September 2001 when police executed search warrants on a number of locations and seized cars, vehicle parts and property.

It was alleged during a two-day contested committal hearing this week that Munro did a series of checks on cars that were later stolen.

The court heard that on occasions Munro rang the owners and that days later their cars were stolen.

Investigators claimed that a woman noticed on March 17, 2001, that she was being followed by a driver whose car changed lanes when she did.

When she returned to where her car had been parked outside a Frankston hotel, it was gone, while Munro allegedly made a false report to police to conceal his reason for being in the area.

George Selemidis, a customer service officer, said in evidence that Munro once sold him the "rolled shell" of a car that lacked an engine and interior.

Mr Selemidis, who admitted being charged by police with handling stolen goods, bought two other cars from Munro that had been stolen outside supermarkets in Mooroolbark and Mulgrave.

Asked by defence counsel Tim Walsh if he could point to anything other than just saying they were the cars he bought from Munro, Mr Selemidis replied: "They are definitely the cars I bought from Mr Munro."

Mr Selemidis, who said Munro gave him receipts, told prosecutor Daryl Brown he did not know Munro was a policeman.

Magistrate Peter Mealy ordered Munro to appear in the County Court in November and bailed him with conditions that included that he or any other person not access a government computer database relevant to the case.